2004 Rotllan Torra Priorat Tirant

One of those fascinating blends from Priorat that needs a lot of time to come together. This example needs a few more years to achieve harmony. The components are still fighting each other a bit. 
An excellent example of this style of wine that is hitting on all cylinders right now is described here: 
http://lestastevinsdulac.blogspot.com/2016/11/2002-costers-del-siurana-clos-de-lobac.html?m=1

2012 Neely Pinot Noir Upper Picnic Block Spring Ridge Vineyard

....what a beautiful wine this is.  On the cusp of its drinking window, this has at least another 3 years of prime time drinking and will continue to be enjoyable in its later years.

Minerally red fruit with elegant transparent color.  Tasty forest floor accents. Lilting florals. Another Burgundian-styled success from the Santa Cruz Mountains.  

Bob and Jim Varner crafted this excellent pinot noir, sourcing from Neely Family properties.  The less than welcome news for aficionados is that the relationship changed and the Varners will be producing pinot noir under their own label from vineyard sources further south in the Santa Barbara area.

The Varners also made killer Chardonnay for many years from the Spring Ridge Vineyard, but alas 2014 will be the final vintage for those as well.

2004 Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino

If the normale is this good, I'd love to try the Riserva!

One of the most delicious BdM's I've had this year. No need to wait, this appears to be at peak. Satiny tannins frame black cherry fruit, exhibiting mouthwatering tartness that is a key part of the picture. Smoke, allspice, saddle. Classic Brunello nose. 
A great example of the heights that can be achieved with Sangiovese.
Paired with char-grillled NY strip, sauteed baby bellos and spring salad. 
Lovely Stilton with mango for dessert, with a rainbow to boot.

1989 Domaine Marcel Deiss Altenberg de Bergheim Gewurtztraminer Grand Cru SGN

What a treat! This was poured at Cru tasting group recently.  Beautifully clean and elegant lychee and peach palate with hints of stoniness.  Very mellow but refeshing. Not cloying or thick. I would not have guessed 14% abv.  Seems much lower %.  The nose smells sweeter than the wine actually is. Hard to put down once you get started.  

2000 Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva Rabaja and 2009 Manzone Barolo Castelletto

The Rabaja was double decanted back into a clean bottle after 3 hours aeration in a decanter.  The Castelletto was slow-o'd for about an hour.

The '00 PdB Rabaja benefits from a lot of air (at least several hours).  Was served a bit too cool at first, but evolved beautifully in the glass over the course of the evening, revealing an inner sweetness that was very nice.  As it opened up, the richness seemed to balance out.  Very tasty balsamic influenced red fruits with elegant hints of tar and chalky minerality. The nose (which was reticent at first) blossomed slowy with subtle florals and lilting spice.  Color shows the age of the wine with tawny shades.  This is in a very satisfying place right now. Maybe not the most complex expression of Rabaja, but lovely this evening.

The 2009 Manzone Barolo Castelletto is a very approachable wine and is actually a bit lighter in body that the 2000 PdB Rabaja. Leaning more toward the raspberry spectrum of fruit with alluring florals as well.  Very enjoyable and reflective of the increase in quality of Barolo in general from 2004 onward. Manzone's wines are always dependable and offer great QPR.

Once again, the dinner at Joe Kindred's eponymously named restaurant in Davidson NC was superb and the service provided by the staff was stellar.  

The charcuterie plate with in-house cured AB Vannoy ham is the closest I have found in the US to Jamon Iberico de Bellota. Truly delicious along with house made soppressata and country pate. 

2nd courses of :
...charred cauliflower in harissa yogurt and sumac
... wagyu beef tartare with horseradish, egg yolk, truffle and anise hyssop
... cripsy oysters with dill yogurt and Calabrian chile oil 
.... house made milk bread, cultured butter and fleur de sel
.... Appalachian trout (crispy skin) with green garlic yogurt, cucumber and neppitela

3rd courses of:
.... Emmer wheat bucatini pork sugo
... Tagliatelle artichoke, creme fraiche , parmigiano reggiano
... Ravioli country ham, fonduta, pea shoots

Dessert course:
... house made buttermilk ice cream and from scratch chocolate chip cookies
.... 1998 Chateau le Graviere Tirecul Cuvee Madame (Monbazillac) http://lestastevinsdulac.blogspot.com/2017/04/1998-chateau-la-graviere-tirecul-cuvee.html?m=1

And a little later on, a 2007 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese to wrap up the evening... This Riesling made me think that this is wine that the Varner Brothers would make if they had holdings in Mosel.  Beautiful tropical fruit and a delightful 8% abv.  Complemented by deliciously rich Yancey's Finger Lakes Champagne Aged Cheddar.

2003 Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva Blanco

This expression of Viura can be, at its best, one of the most unique white wines in the world. However, the 2003 vintage falls short of the glory achieved with the Reserva Blanco cuvee in 2000 and 2002. 

Decanting to aerate for a couple of hours helped to mellow it out.  There is a spiciness when first opened that intrudes somewhat ... Perhaps the oak being a bit overwhelming for the fruit in this vintage. 

Always a lovely perfumed, petrol influenced nose. Dark tropical fruit accented with honeyed marzipan notes. The blend is 90% Viura and 10% Malvasia. 

This is big wine that can stand up to spicy food.  We paired it with crab cakes and grilled redfish with crawfish creole sauce.

With the nearby Cantabrian Mountain range providing a dramatic backdrop, Lopez de Heredia is a magical place to visit in Rioja. Staunch traditionalists, fermentation is done using beautiful 140 year old oak vats. 

2004 Ogier Cote-Rotie

Double decanted, but left in the decanter to aerate for 2 hours.  

This started out with shrill (tart) sour cherry character that never really calmed down. 

Reminded me of a too young Burgundy in an off vintage.  Lacking complexity. I dont think this has the foundation to develop into something better down the road but only time will tell.  Some left over for day 2 so will see what happens. 

Just not a lot of Cote-Rotie character here. A let down after the recent brillant showing from southern Rhone by the 2006 Domaine Vieille Julienne Chateauneuf-du-Pape ...

2010 La Peira Matissat

Pluperfectly delicious.

Slow-o in bottle for 3 hours. All Mourvedre aged in barrel. 14.5% abv and very well balanced. Rich plummy kirsch-like fruit is kept fresh by a dusty chalk minerality. Beautiful layers of complexity on an intriguing finish that lasts and lasts. Refined aromatics with interplay of florals and spice. The quality of this cuvee is evident with the excellent 2010 vintage.

I am also a long time fan of La Peira's Las Flors cuvee, which is syrah, grenache and mourvedre.  Wines from this estate are a must have for Languedoc aficionados. 

Paired beautifully with ravoli stuffed with A.B. Vannoy ham, and fennel sausage bucatini.

2006 Vieille Julienne Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Popped and poured. Nose to die for and palate to match pretty much sums it up.  A winner drinking at peak.
Delicious red raspberry fruit with burnished tannins thst create a texture like cashmere. Beautiful garrigue character and a minerality that conjures up visions of galets roules  :) 
Made with grenache, syrah, mourvedre, counoise and cinsault that are destemmed and cofermented. Vineyards are located in the northern portion of the appellation.
Jean-Paul Daumen's efforts honor the uniqueness of terroir in Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Day 2
No significant signs of fading. Just a bit more mellow since yesterday. This could easily last another few years and still be at peak, I would expect.  
Beautiful fruit, and really a lovely nose on this wine, that says classic Chateauneuf-du-Pape. 
2nd half of bottle went well with grilled veal chop.

1998 Chateau la Graviere Tirecul Cuvee Madame (Monbazillac)

My first experience with this sweet dessert wine. Definitely recommend trying it. Impossible-to-resist hazelnut and honeyed tropical fruit. Deftly balanced. Not cloyingly sweet but more on the refeshing side with an underlying streak of minerality that peeks through on the finish. Scintillating bit of spice on the nose. Varietals are Muscadelle, Semillon and Sauvignon. Made from 80 year old vines. Benefits from being served at around 55°F.
Hard to put down once you get started.

1999 Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon

Opened and double decanted back into clean bottle.  Aerated in a decanter for about an hour and a half. Served for dinner at 60°F. 

Initial impression was very positive. Beautiful fruit and balance except a bit of warmth on the finish that seemed somewhat out of place for 13.5 abv.  (the slightly too warm finish moderated over the evening as the wine was exposed to more air.)

The professional  review notes that indicate an inky quality to this wine were spot on. Very unique palate that combined an inkiness and salinity which reminded me a bit of squid ink.  Not unpleasant at all when put in context of the delicious fruit and subtle garrique notes (yes, more of a southern Rhone trait yet it seems reflective here at least to my taste).

Gained significant presence over the course of the evening and became incredibly 
savory. The nose is quite elegant with floral and herb notes. Note that wine showed better after it warmed up as well.  Serving temperature of 65°F to 70°F is just right IMO.

 Balance and pure fruit are the words that come to mind that best describe this wine.  Impressive flavor without heaviness.  Blackberry and cassis and wet stone.  I like this style.  

Parker apparently enjoys this cuvee as he has awarded it a perfect score in eleven vintages since 1989 ... which unfortunately drives up the price.  It is too bad that Hermitage and Cote-Rotie have gotten so expensive...

Paired nicely with grilled pork tenderloin. 

2010 Domaine des Baumard Savennieres Clos de Papillon

This Clos de Papillon exhibits a fascinating, alluring musky spicy nose .  Moderately crisp palate that probably showed more fully a couple of years ago.  Enjoyable pear with peach pit ... interesting bitter mineral driven notes on the finish, although the mid-palate falls a bit flat.  Drank quite well with a Vietnamese pork fried rice dish. Baumard represents solid value .

2011 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir Laurene Dundee Hills

Wow! Great from the start (PnP).  
Drinking very well right now. This cuvee represents the pinnacle of pinot noir in Oregon. Compares very favorably to 1er Cru Cote de Nuits.
Pure and very elegant Rainier cherry fruit, refined tannins that bode well for future development, Balance is top notch.  Nice secondary nuances of sandalwood and sous bois. Hints of anise after a couple of hours of opening up.  
The florals on the nose are just as elegant. Not overpowering, just right.
Highly recommended.

1996 Produttori del Barbaresco Moccagatta (Muncagota) Riserva

(Note that this cru is currently called Muncagota)
Double decant back into clean bottle after 1.5 hours of aeration in a decanter. Modest amount of coarse grained sediment.
Showed very well from initial opening. Somewhat reticent nose of florals and leather that opened very gradually over several hours.
Burgundian in style, elegant and quite translucent in color.  Slight browning in color shows advanced age. Beautifully burnished tannins have mellowed and pleasingly complement the aged fruit. Faint touches of mint and sage. I very much enjoy tertiary development exhibited here.  There is a very attractive inner sweetness to this wine's palate that manifests over the evening, especially with food.
Wimemaker Aldo Vacca has described Moccagatta as a female version of Rabaja.  It is situated on a southeastern exposure, which is cooler since it does not receive as much western sunlight late in the day.  A higher degree of limestone content in the soils provides structure and age-ability.
I opened this bottle to check on the condition of a batch of the nine cru's from 1996 and 1997 that I recently assembled from a reliable source.  While the label on this bottle was not in pristine condition, the provenance appears to be acceptable. 
I will be opening the rest of these in June with my wine group for a comparative tasting of various Produttori del Barbaresco cru's.
One of the dishes at dinner was a surprisingly unique complement to the wine: charred Broccoli in a Romesco sauce garnished with a fried egg (perfectly cooked runny yolk) and Manchego cheese. Romesco is a nut and red pepper based sauce that originated in Tarragona, Catalonia in northeastern Spain. The dish was served in a small cast iron skillet.....wonderfully executed and delightful.

2012 Franz Haas Lagrein Schweizer

Popped and poured at a restaurant.  Excited about my first foray with Lagrein varietal from Alto Adige ! 
Approachable now and improved with air over a couple of hours.  Mid-weight and very agile red that can be enjoyed with meat or more substantial seafood. Dark red fruit with pleasing minerally component. Hints of game and violets on the nose. Enough angularity to keep things interesting. Not overly tannic. Small vanilla influence that speaks to barrique aging, but not overly obtrusive. Quite an enjoyable wine.

2015 Domaine Vacheron Sancerre

Much more approachable than the 2014 vintage of this wine.  The 2015 is rounder with more tropical, even slightly honeyed notes, while maintaining an underlying foundation of elegant minerality. The 2014 was a bit shrill the last time I tasted it, and in need of more cellar time to come together.

2002 Domaine Arlaud Morey-Saint-Denis Les Ruchots

Damn, when you hit a good Burgundy at its peak, it just dont get much better. Case in point with this 2002 Arlaud Morey Saint-Denis Les Ruchots. Vineyard is located just downslope from Clos de Tart and the eastern part of Bonnes Mares.

Slow-o for around 3 hours before dinner. Wow, tannins halve completely resolved to comprise a sweetness with the delicious red cherry fruit. Velvet palate. Bit of spice and sous bois. Nose is somewhat shy but the flavor more than makes up for it. 

 Nice complexity as you hold it in your mouth and let secondary flavors unfold.  One of the best from Burgundy that I've had in a long time..  paired superbly with lightly sauteed calamari followed by blackend grouper on a bed of Spinach and a side of risotto with shaved black truffles.

2007 Castello di Neive Barbaresco Albesani Santo Stefano

Enjoyed this over the course of two nights this week.  Originally had planned to drink it with dinner last weekend, so it had been double decanted and aerated in a decanter for about 6 hours on Saturday. Since we didn't drink it that night, it was vacuvin-ed and stored for a couple of days.

The extended aeration and extra couple of days under vacuvin really helped to mellow things out.  It's already approachable but I am willing to bet it will enter early peak in about another 3 or 4 years. 

The perfumed nose is really, really nice on this wine.  This is the Albesani cuvee (not the Riserva - which ironically doesnt seem to get as much love from the reviewers). 
Very clean fruit.... no funkiness. Didnt have much sediment. 

Red fruit profile with a tasty (but very subtle) tobacco accent. Classic tar and roses , all very well balanced. The back end has just a bit of tannic bite where things close down some.  This is a great wine to have with a meal.  

Overall one of the most harmonious showings I've seen from this Producer. A solid "B" grade Barbaresco.  Good value for the money.  Stops short of being truly elegant.. but perhaps with more time in the bottle?

Did I mention the floral nose on this wine is wonderful?  :)  Hard to put down the glass!

2011 Pintia

Enjoyed this wine at a restaurant in Madrid in October so bought some upon returning home. Pintia is owned by Vega Sicilia of Ribera del Duero fame. While Ribera del Duero is located east of the city of Valladolid, the Toro appellation is located west of Valladolid near Portugal.  Both are situated along the east-west course of the Duero River in the Castilla y Leon region (northwest of Madrid and southwest of Rioja). Here is a good reference map 
http://winefolly.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Spain-Wine-Map-2016-WineFolly.jpg#large

Pintia is 100% Tinta de Toro (Tempranillo), sourced from vines aged 40 to 60 years. Destemmed grapes are fermented in oak vats with malolactic in barrique followed by 12 months of aging in new barrels (75% French and 25% American).

This is a big almost plummy wine, yet it is able to retain Iberian character with underlying minerality and spice. Less acidity than is seen to the northeast in the Tempranillo-based wines of Rioja. It would be interesting to visit revisit this wine in 10 years. The style clearly underscores the difference in methodology between Toro and Rioja, with the winemakers in Rioja holding back and aging Reservas and Gran Reservas. 

Dense and opaque, the rich black fruit has less of the smoky character often found in Tempranillo. Cassis, pepper and fine-grained tannin complete the palate at this stage of development. Aromatics are lush as well, but without heat. However, the abv is not shy at 15%.

2005 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904

The '05 LRA GR 904 is 90% Tempranillo, sourced from the villages of Brinas, Labastida, and Vilalba with 10% Graciano from Briones and Rodezno. Destemmed grapes were crushed and fermented in stainless steel for 18 days at 25°C. Spontaneous malolactic fermentation lasted 38 days. Aged in used American oak for four years, manually racked eight times. 

Enjoyed this over the course of several days. Was initially decanted 2 hours ahead of serving at dinner.  Nose and palate were reticent, but the elegance and quality are readily apparent. Balsamic-inflected florals with a Burgundian weighted palate. Lighter-bodied smoky cherry fruit with allspice and dusty super-fine tannins. Optimal drinking window is still a few years away.

I find the La Rioja Alta wines typically lighter in style (perhaps a bit more elegant) compared to their next door neighbor, Lopez de Heredia.

As far the the 2004 and 2005 vintages of LRA GR 904, I have a preference for the 2004.  IMO, the '04 is a bit more powerful with truly classic structure. 

Here are my notes on the '04 from May 2016 (pop and pour at a restaurant)

http://lestastevinsdulac.blogspot.com/2016/05/2004-la-rioja-alta-rioja-gran-reserva.html?m=1